Flushing valve



L. SIMMONS FLUSHING VALVE March 31.. 1925.

Filed Dec. ll, 1922 IIIA' gnventoz ea Sint/mns Patented Mar. 31, 1925,

- UNITED STATES vmiEnr orties..

LEO SIMMONS, OF WASHINGTON, DISiTElt-ICT OF COLUMBIA.

FLUSHING VALVE.

Application led December 11, 1922. Serial No. 606,279.

a specification.

rl`his invention relates to that type of vflushing apparatus wherein the flushing valve mechanism is elevated or opened manually while dash pot mechanism is provided to automatically control the closing movement of the valve mechanism and approximately predetermine the quantity of water discharged at each flushing operation.

An object of the invention is to produce a simple and durable 'flushing apparatus of an improved character which will be eiiicient and reliable in action and compact `and economical in construction.

A further object of the invention is to provide flushing apparatus that embodies a tlushing-operation-controlling' dash-pot mechanism having improved regulating` means, and that involves an advantageous arrangement with respect to the flushing water passage. v

A further object of' the invention is to improve certain details of construction. lilith these and otherobj'ects in. view my invention consists in certa-in novel features in construction and in combinations and :irrangements,y as more fully and particuf larly set 'forth and specified hereinafter.

Referring to the accompanying' drawingss- Fig. l is a longitudinal vertical section ot ilinshing apparatus embodying my invention,

certain parts being shown. in part in elevation.

`Fig. 2 is a. detail section on the line 2 2, Fig. l.

Fig. 3 is a de ail vertical section of the dash pot mechanism, the piston being shown in elevated position to admit water to the dash pot, cup, or cylinder, as when the flushing valve I"nrochanisni is elevated or completely opened.

Fig. yl is a detail section on the line 4 4, Fig. l.

Fig. 5 is ay detail elevation ot the upper end ot' the dash pot cup to show, particularly, the radial water inlets. V i

In the particular example illustrated, the casing ot my llusning apparatus is approx- -sealed by an exterior screw imately in the form of. a straightv vertical tube or cylinder, having a llateral water supply inlet atiwits upper` end, and being open at its lower end for vertical downward flow of tlushingvwater therefrom.

ln this particularexample, the casing is composed of three tub-ularcasing sections arranged end to end in longitudinal alinement, namely, thel top end section `l, that provides the internal pressure water supply chamber @,and theintermediate section 2, and lower end section 3, that provide the flushing water passage o, and. carry' the manual `valve, opening means and the dash pot cup oi" cylinder and its regulating means.

The tubular top section intermediate its upper and lower ends, .and in this instance extending into chamber a, through exterior bossI l:L that is'internally threaded to receive the pressure water supply pipe 4 from which water under pressure or head is delivered for flushingy purposes. The lower end" of section l is `formed or provided with annular internal contraction to provide an annular internal seatand vertical flushing water outlet port c. A suitable annular packing washer 5 is located on said seat to form an annular valve seat having its center port alined with port c.

This washer 5 is held toits seat by a removable vertically adjustable spider con sisting of horizontal ring 6 resting on the top tace of the washer 5 and slidably vfitting the inner surface of the casing section, and spaced..vertical arms or uprights 62L longitudinally and slidably engaging .the inner surface of the section and at their upper ends abutting the under surface of a vertically adjustable ring nut 7, screwed longitudinally into the internally threaded upper end of section l. lhen the upper end ot the section is open, .the ring` nut can be unscreii'ed tlierelrom and the spider 6, 6a', removed from. the casing. The paris can be also .assembled in the easing section, and when assembled the nut can bc'manip ula-ted to tighten or loosen the pressure oit the spider ring on the washer. The washer can thus bel ad'iusted or ren'ioved through .the upper' end of the casing.

In this instance, the open. upper end ot' the top casing section, is tightly closed aniL cap or 'end closure 8 removably meshing with exterior is formed with a lateral radial water supply inlet, located y screw threads at the upper end of the casing section. This cap 8 is formed with the exterior top nut or wrench hold 8 to which mechanics can apply tools When tightening up and unscrewing the cap.y -As the exterior surface of the cap will ibe damaged and marred by suc-h tools, if such cap is exte-riorly plated and ornamentally finished, I prefer to leave the cap exteriorly in the rough or unfinished, and to cover the same byv a removable finished ornamental cap 9, all as set forth and lclaimed in my copending application filed Nov. 29, 1922, Ser. No. 604,113.

The several casing sections 1, 2, 3, are removably joined together by screw threaded connections. For instance, the lower end of the top section 1 is formed with a depending reduced exteriorly threaded end that screws into the internally threaded upper end of the intermediate section 2, and the lower section '3 has a reduced exteriorly threaded upper end that screws into the lower end of ythe intermediate section, so that the vertical port or discharge passage c from the top section 1 opens and discharges longitudinally into the upper` end of section 2; the interiors of sections 2, 3, forming the vertical flushing water passage b,in longitudinal continuation 1of port or passage c, land discharging vertically at the lower open end of section rlhe lower end of section 3 is formed for coupling to the iiushing water pipe 10 that leads to the toilet or article to be flushed, so that the upper end of said pipe 10 forms a longitudinal downward continuation of the straight vertical flushing valve casing, whereby certain advantages are gained.

The passage of flushing water through the washer 5 and passage c, from chamber a to chamber b, is controlled by main lift valve 11 and auxiliary. or pressure-relief lift valve 12, and these valves are controlled by lift rod V erstem 13, as described in detail in my hereinbefore mentioned pending l paten't application.

The valve 11 is of conical formation, of metal or other suitable material, to seat down on washer 5 and normally close the passage therethrough.

through which the lift rod 13 loosely extends. The auxiliary valve is of conical formation and is operatively secured to and This valve has a `vertical longitudinal pressure relief bore strikes the upper end of spider 11b whereupon the main valve is lifted by and with` valve will thus be suspended from the auxiliar-y valve while the main valve is in open position.

The lift rod is straight and vertical and is arranged centrally and longitudinally within the casing and depends from the valves into the cas-ing sections 2, 3. t

vIn this instance, the'casing section 2 carries the manually o-perated means for lifting the stem 13 to elevate or open the valves. For instance, I show casing section`2 formed with a hollow lateral enlargement or bulge through which a horizontal rock shaft or spindle 14 extends and in the walls of which it is mounted to oscillate or rock. This spindle traverses the interior of the casing to one side of the lift stem 13, and extends to the exterior of the casing where it is pro- `vided with any suitable readily accessible exterior handle 14a, while within the casing, the spindle has-operative lifting connection lwith the stem 13, as by lateral lifting toe or linger 14;b at its free end engaging under a shoulder or abutment of the stem. The arrangement is such that the exterior handle 14 can be rocked to lift the stem 13 and open the valves, and then released and fall to normal position as the stem 13 descends, if so desired.

For instance, if so desired, the handle 14SL can be so arranged and the spindle 14 can be so operatively coupled to the lift stem 13 that the weight of the handle will be thrown onto the stem to aid in depressing the same. In the specific example shown, the lifting toe 141 is forked to loosely straddle the stem 13, the stem being reduced at opposite side faces for the passage of the toe and to provide upper and lower knife or V-shoulders or abutments 13a, 13b, between which the toe ends are loosely arrangedvs'o that when the handle is lifted the toe will be likewise lifted into stem and valve lifting engagement with the upper knife edges 13, and when the handle is released, the toe will drop into valve stem depressing engagement with the lower knife edges 13b and thus the stem will sustain the depressing weight of the handle and toe until the valves have reached closed positions.

'I he valves are controlled on their closing movements by a dash pot mechanism, which comprises a piston formed on the lower end of the stem 13 and a cup or cylinder within the `lower end section of thek easing and'- longitudinally alined therewith. For instance, the. lower end of stein 13 is formed with a piston head 15 that is reduced and screw threaded `at its lowerend to receive nut 16- by which cup washer 17 is clamped to the piston head, The Skirt of the washer depends and the nut forms a reduced lower end of the head within the washer skirt so that said skirt can contract in diameter to permit downward flow of water past the piston under certain conditions.

The dash pot cup or cylinder 18 is vertically elongated and closed at its lower end, open at its upper end, and has a vertical wall or barrel that is imperforate and cylindrical, except as hereinafter recited.

This cup forms a fixed permanent part of the casing section 3 and is centrally and longitudinally arrangedtherein in longitu, dinal alinement with the lift valves and their stem and receives the piston `that moves vertically with the stem.

The arrangement is such that when vthe valves are completely opened and the stein is at its limit of vertical movement, the piston will be located in the open upper end of the cup and the cup will be filled with water. lVhen the stein and valver are released to descend, the cup washer of the piston will open within thefcup and resist the descent of the piston and the parts upheld thereby, except as the pressure inthe cup below the piston is reduced by release of water from the cup.

The cup 18 is preferably cast with the section S or otherwise formed as a rigid or integral part theieof. The cup is of reduced exterior diameter with respect to the internal diameter of the casing section surrounding the saine to provide a vertical water passage of ample capacity within the casing section past and at the exterior of the cup. The cup is supported in fixed position within the casing section by several spaced radial webs 181L traversing said water passage and rigid with the cup and casing section and preferably arranged exteriorly of and at the lower end portion of the cup.

I utilize one of these cup supporting webs 18 in providing for the regulating escape of water from the cup to control the descent of the piston and the closing movement of the flushing valve mechanism. i

For instance, I drill or otherwise form a radial hole or duct 2O from the exterior of the casing section 3 tl'irough one of the webs 1S and into the lower end portion of the cup to provide the small lateral or radial outlet or discharge port '19 from the interior of the cup, and 1 al'i'ord outlet into the flushing water passage, from port 19 and duct 20, by drilling or otherwise forming a vertical duct 21 through the top edge of the web into the intermediate portion of the duct 20. lVater can thus flow from the lower' end of the cup through port y19, ducts 2O and 21 discharging into the flushing water discharge passage of the casing through the open upper end of duct 21. This arrangement also permits water to flow through the upper end of duct 21 and enter the cup,

under the suction pull ofthe piston when on tends to clear the same of dirt and obstructions.

'I provide means for regulating the dis-k charge fiowof water from the cup through said port land ducts, and thereby can control,

to a nicety, the quantity of flushingVv water s discharged at a flushing operation. For instance, I tap the duct 20 to longitudinally receivev a tapered end screw valve 22 hav- Ving its head 222L accessible at the exterior of the casing. The head 22aM is formed to receive any suitable implementby which the screw can be rotated to move inwardly and reduce the capacity of the discharge or move outwardly and increase the capacity' of the discharge. If so desired the outer end of the duct 20 can be countersunk as shown, to receivel the head of the regulating valve` screw.

In order to assure, the filling of the cup before the flushing valve mechanism is released to start the piston on its downward stroke, preferably slightly internally flare or bevel the upper' end of the cup, at 181, and if need be, provide radial inlet ports 1Sc through the upper end thereof. The openl upper end of the cup is directly below and alined with flushing water passage c and hence flushing water, will fall into the cup even before the piston reaches its' limit of upward movement, and the pressure thereof will tend to contract the lower end ofthe into the cup to 'fill the same. p

The stem 14 extends through and rotates in hollow bearing bosses 24 projecting laterally from the bulge of the casingsection 2. One of these bosses is closed against liquid leakage by a screwy cap and packing washer. The other end of the spindle extends beyond the opposite boss to receive the handle 14% This handleV end of the spindle also extends through an adjustable 'cup washer skirt andl permit flow of water nut orl gland 25 that screws onto the boss p and contains suitable packing material 26 surrounding the stem and compressed against the outer end of the boss to prevent liquid leakage along` the spindle. Or

dinarily, if the nut or gland is screwed up tightly enough to compress the.' packing and really prevent leakage under all conditions, the packing will exert such friction. against movement of the spindle, as to prevent the free movement that l desire. i `I have overcome this difficulty by forining `an annular groove 28 in the spindle of such width longitudinally of the spindle as toextend into theA bearing boss as well as beyond the saine.: I -also preferably slightly enlargethe outer end of the bore or bearing of said boss, see' 29, that surrounds the inner end of the groove 28 .in

they spindle. I find that the packing QGwilil expand into the groove 28 and fill the same and will also extend intoy and fill the end enlargement Q9 of the boss bore and thus effectively establish a barrier against liquid leakagey around the spindley through the bea-ring boss bore, yet without applying such frictionA to the spindle as to prevent free movement and rotation thereof. l

Claim is -not herein made to they combination that includes the open fra-me or spider 1lb and tapered valve l2 radially spaced from said spider; nor to the combi;- nation that includes rin-g 6i, arms 6a, vring nut 7, and compression washer 5; nor to the combination that includes an annular groove in the handle spindle; 14 intowhich packing, within screw cap 25, extends, as such combinations are claimed in my hereinbeforey mentioned application for flushing apparatus filed Nov. 29', 1922,- Ser. No. 6041113. y

It is evident that various changes, modifications-.and variations might be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention and hence I do not wish to li'mit'myself to the exact disclosures hereof.

, What I claim is l. In combination, in flushing apparatus,

a vertical tubular separable casingv embodying an upper pressure water tubular section having a flush-ing water outlet port, an intermediate vertical tubular section receiving fiushing water from said port and having a lateral hollow offset, and' a lower vertical flushing water tubular section having a bottom flushing water discharge and. provided with an internal verticall ti-xed open-top dash 4pot cup of relatively reduced external dimensions; a main flushing gravity lift valve in said upper section and controlling said port and having a pressure relief port; a vertical lift valve stem provided with a relief gravity lift valve controlling` ysaid pressure relief port, and arranged to` control the closing movements of said valves and to lift the same to open saidE ports in succession, the lower end of said stem provided with a pistoniA movable in: saidv cup to control the gravity closing movements of said lvalves; and a rock shaft mounted in said offset and' having an exterior operati-ng handle and provided with a lateral vertically-swingable lifting finger withinv said intermediate section,.the portion of thestem within said intern'iediate section formed. with an upper transverse shoulder and a lower transverse shoulder, said finger arranged between said shoulders to engage the upper shoulder to lift the stem, and to bear down onthe lower shoulder to aid in depressing the stemy when said handle is released. p

,2. ln Combination, in flushing apparatus,

a vertical tubular separable casing embodying.' anl upper pressurev water tubular section having ay flushing water outlet port,'an 1n- `termediate vertical tubular section receiving fiushing water from said port and having a lateral hollow offset, and a lower vertical fiushing water tubular section having a bottom flushing water discharge and provided with an internal vertical fixed opentop dash pot cup of relatively reduced external dimensions; `a main flushing gravity lift valve in said upper section and control'- ling said port -and having av pressure Arelief port; a vertical liftv valve stem prof vided withna relief gravity lift yvalve controlling said pressure relief port, and arranged to control the closing movements of said valves and to lift the same to open said ports in succession,fthe lower-.end of said lstem provided with a piston movable in said cupv to control the gravity closing 'movements of said valves, and a lateral vertically `swingable lifting finger mounted? in said intermediate section, and extending into said offset and having operating vmeans extending to the extension thereof, 'the portion of the stem within said'intermediate section formeel with an upper transverse casing embodying three alined tubular sections, the upperv section providing a. pressure water chamber,'the two remaining sections providing a vertical water passage to said outlet, saidupper section providing an outlet port to saidl passage, the ,lower section vhaving a dashpot cuprigid therewith and central-ly arranged therein and of reduced diameter to provide within said section an annular flushing water passage surrounding the cup, a webl rigidly connecting the cup and traversing said annular passage, a main flushing lift valve and a pressure relief lift valve cooperating with said port, a vertical lift stem for said valves and at its ylower end provided with a piston .in said cup, means for operating said stem to lift said valves, said cup and said web having a water duet at one end open to said annular passage and at the other end open into said? cup through a port in the vertical walfl of the cup, said duct being formed in part by a hole extend-ing radially'from the exterior of the lower easing section through said web and into said cup,y and a lnormally stationary screw valve in said hole vand accessible from the exterior' of the casing and longitudinally adjustable to control the water ffow from said cup, said cup and the piston formed against escape oi water from the cupy during the closing movement of said valves other than through said duct, the upper end portion of said cup boing open to the descending flushing water, said cup and piston being formed to permit rapid filling of the cup on the upward movement of the piston.

l. Flushing apparatus comprising a casing providing an internal waterpressure chamber having a bottom iushing water outlet port and a vertical flushing water passage having a bottom discharge, said outlet port discharging in the upper end of'said passage, a dashpot cupy vertically and centrally arranged in the lower part of the casing and of reduced exterior diameter with respect to the casing to provide within the casing an annular water passage surrounding the cup, spaced radial webs rigid with the casing and cup and extending across said annular passage, said `cup having an open upper end below said outlet port, a hole being provided extending radially through the casing and one of said webs into the cup through a radial port in the Vertical wall thereof, said web having a. vertical water duct opening into said annular passage and into said hole, a screw needle valve in said hole and accessible from the exterior of the casing and longitudinally adjustable to control the capacity of said radial port, flushing valve mechanism controlling said flushing water outlet port and embodying lift valves closed solely by gravity and water pressure, a lift stem operatively connected with said valves to control the closing movements thereof and provided with exterior handle actuated means for lifting the Valves against gravity and water pressure, the lower end of the stem provided with a piston, said `piston arranged in said dashpot cup, the piston and upper 'end portion of the cup being formed to permit quick filling of the cup, said piston and cup constructed and arranged to control the closing movement of said valves, the downward movement of the piston being controlled by the water outflow through said radial port, the walls of the cup below its upper end portion being otherwise imperforate.

Signed at Vashington, day of December, 1922.

LEO siMMoNs.

D. C., this 9th 

